There’s a new edge to the flashy boogie-rock of Wide Mouth Mason, and a new bass player as well.
Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar/Grady fame, steps in to hold down solid low end as well as the producers hat. It’s a bold move on the part of long-time Wide Mouth Mason-ites Shaun Verrault (vocals and guitar) and Safwan Javed (percussion, backing vocals) that pays off in soul ballads and funk-rock jamming.
On album number seven, No Bad Days, the funky sounds assert themselves early and stay the course throughout. The big catch of the album is the no-frills production that lends itself to rocking out the songs in a live environment.
The style of Wide Mouth is electric with a big day-glo “E”: lots of wailing solos and distortion. As well as the big jams, the group focuses in on heavy soul tracks (Go Tell it to the Waterfall, Drive, Sweet Little Thing). They wear the stamp of post-‘70s Jimi Hendrix, and post-Sly and the Family Stone psychedelic funk and easy grooves.
WMM does the job just fine, ripping into propulsive grooves and chops. This is where the soul ballads stand out.
No Bad Days is informed with a sense of camaraderie amongst the players, and this intimacy translates into memorable chord progressions, restraint in interplay and a deep ballad nature.
Verrault’s vocals shine on the quieter numbers (Burn it Down), being driven by passion rather than guitar accompaniment. The group succeeds here in delivering solid party music without getting caught up with clichés, and really leans on the tight, but loose attack that’s equal parts subtle grind and free-form improv.
